Lenses for weather sealed cameras

[Panama Hat & Camera]

Hi,
Some cameras, like Nikon D7000, are weather sealed. The lens for those cameras are special? Or any lens is appropriated for weather sealed cameras?
Antonio.

[Scott Stephen]

Most lenses are not weather-sealed. The ones that are clearly say so, and tend to be high-quality lenses that cost quite a lot more.

[Manfred M]

Carefully said, while your D7000 and my D800 are supposedly sealed, it would hardly consider either the camera or the lenses water-proof. They all rely on o-rings and seals to prevent water ingress, and frankly, there are enough moisture entry points. When I check my camera manual, it suggests operating conditions of less than 85% relative humidity, so I use a rain cover when shooting in wet condition. There is nothing about it being weather sealed mentioned anywhere other than in the marketing literature. Unless the lens has a rubber gasket on the lens mount, water can get into the camera body where the lens and camera join.

I've looked at a number of my lenses, and there seems to be little rhyme or reason as to which ones have the rear seal. My Nikkor "pro" lenses; the f/2.8 14-24mm, the f/2.8 24-70mm and the f/2.8 70-200mm all have one. The amateur f/1.8 35mm and the f/3.5 - 5.6 18-200mm have them, but the pro f/2 105mm DC does not. I would tend to think the the pro zooms listed above are going to be more water resistant, just because the way they are constructed; but that being said the internal elements move around, so moisture can still be sucked in during zoom and focus...

[Colin Southern]

I like to think of weather sealing as being like seat belts & air bags ... good to have them in an emergency, but that doesn't follow that one should engage in dangerous driving just because one is wearing one!

[Tringa]

You can definitely use lenses that are not weather sealed on cameras that are weather sealed but be prepared for water getting in if the conditions are bad.

Although my camera and the kit lens are weather sealed I think of them being able to resist a rain shower (I realise that what I mean by a 'rain shower' is probably completely different from what you have in Brazil, Antonio).

Water is just very good at getting into places so, even with weather sealed lenses, I try to protect my camera from heavy rain.

Dave

[William W]

Some cameras, like Nikon D7000, are weather sealed. The lens for those cameras are special? Or any lens is appropriated for weather sealed cameras?

Very confusing for me.
Canon has a list.
I was asked this question about Nikon several months ago at a Camera Club - this is a good reference which I found. FYI:

http://bodzashphotoastro.blogspot.co...resistant.html
Footnote - interesting that the Blogger uses a White Canon as the example Image

***

. . . but that doesn't follow that one should engage in dangerous driving just because one is wearing one!

Bah! Humbug!


WW

[Panama Hat & Camera]

Scott, Manfred, Colin and Dave,
I still do not have a Nikon D7000, but I'm considering getting a DSLR. I plan to purchase a D5100 or D7000 (or an equivalent Canon camera). One of the advantages of the D7000 is to be weather sealed (but either way, I would avoid using it in very adverse conditions). The D7000 is much more expensive than the D5100. If, in addition, I need to buy more expensive lenses, maybe I should buy a D5100 for general use and a Nikon AW100 (waterproof camera) for extreme conditions.

Bill,
Thank you for the Bodzash blog link.

Regarding your photo: That is a Canon DSLR dipped in a bowl full of water?

Antonio.

[Manfred M]

Antonio - Weather sealing is only one of a number of features that the D7000 has over what the D5100 (or the newer D5200) offers; it is a higher end camera. The same can be said about the lenses. There are some fairly inexpensive ones listed on the Bodzash site. The high end lenses are optically and mechanically better, and weather sealing is just an additional feature.

I've done lots of photography in bad weather with my D90 that is not weather sealed and my D800 that is. In both cases I used a rain cover, and so far the cameras and lenses have all survived. This picture was taken with a D90 using a Nikkor 80-400mm lens, neither of which are weather sealed, during a 3 day trip into one of the rainiest parts of Canada. If you look carefully, you can see the rain falling in the image. I used a Storm Jacket rain cover (http://www.warmcards.com/SJ1.html). In other cases, I just grabbed a plastic shopping bag and made my own instant rain cover. A bit of rain (even fairly heavy rain) has never stopped me from taking pictures.

[wtlwdwgn]

Pentax has been making "weather sealed" or "weather resistant" digital camera bodies and lenses for awhile now and not all of them are expensive top of the line models either. I wouldn't hold them under a waterfall but I do take mine out in any weather and have never had any problem. I also bought a used Canon 1D Mk II N a few years back and I use an "unsealed" Sigma 100-300mm f/4 and 1.4x TC. I take it out too and have never had a problem and I go to Yellowstone NP all winter regardless of the weather. The biggest worry is getting water droplets or snow flakes on the front element or filter which degrades image sharpness. I also don't change lenses out in the elements. If weather resistance is necessary, you can always use RainSleeves or even plastic grocery bags in a pinch. Just my ¢¢.

[Panama Hat & Camera]

Manfred and Steve,

Thank you very much for the advices and suggestions.

Antonio.

[William W]

That is a Canon DSLR dipped in a bowl full of water?

It is in the Miele front loader washing machine with the white bed sheets.
Don't panic - it is on the 'delicates' cycle.

WW

[Manfred M]

It is in the Miele front loader washing machine with the white bed sheets.
Don't panic - it is on the 'delicates' cycle.

WW

And a gentle detergent and no fabric softener, I hope. I hear that regular detergents are really hard on the lubricants used in the camera and fabric softener leaves an undesirable waxy coating....

[William W]

[FrankMi]

And a gentle detergent and no fabric softener, I hope. I hear that regular detergents are really hard on the lubricants used in the camera and fabric softener leaves an undesirable waxy coating....

Well if THAT's the only issue, why worry about a little bit of rain!?